It's that time of year again!

Time for growing beards! Not that me or my fellow writers can. Yet. Ask us in many years when we are old women if our whiskers have grown in yet.

Welcome back to our Grizzly world, Nick Tuzzolino! You're just in time for the play-offs. Does that make you happy? It sure makes us happy. Nick returning is a great thing. He's been with the AHL's Portland Pirates since February 15. Before that he was second in the league for shots on goal, tied for the lead in power play points, and the team was 23-17-3-1 with him in the line-up. Here's hoping he'll quickly find his groove with the team again.

A lot is happening this week, namely the start of the playoffs. Tomorrow. Yes. Really, they start tomorrow. For the first round we are playing Stockton, starting at home. This is the first time in 10 years the Grizzlies have started the play-offs at home. Another first: this is the first time the Grizzlies and Stockton have ever played each other in the post-season.

So what's the situation? Well, with a combined 728 penalty minutes in 11 games this year, the teams show they are a feisty bunch. That's an average of 66.1 minutes per game, if you were wondering. Stockton led the series this year 7-3-1, but Utah is 2-0 versus Pacific Division opponents in the first round of the playoffs in the ECHL. Kevin Deeth is the top scorer this year against Stockton. In his recent three starts at home, Lamoureaux went 3-0. He won one, lost one against Stockton in the 11 game series.

ECHL.com put out a nice sheet of information about this round of the play-offs. Some highlights:
-Both teams have appeared 5 times in the play-offs
-It's a best of 5 series, not 7 like some are accustomed to from the NHL
-The stats are stacked against the Grizzlies, it's going to be a tough road

That said, the games at home are tomorrow April 5, and Wednesday April 6. Hate to say it, but this could be the last time we get to see the Grizzlies at home this season. Go get tickets! Tomorrow select tickets in the lower-bowl are 2 for 1.

Congratulations to Justin Donati for winning the EHCL scoring title this season with 94 points. Andrew Engelage finished as the #11 goaltender in the league.